Smoker&#39;s draft tube



May 23, 11.944. E. B. HELM v SMOKERS DRAFT TUBE Filed on. 29. 1943 EMERSON E. NFL/7 Patented May 23, ti

; ninth siuonna's nmr'r run Emerson E. llllelm, .Cllcvelahdl, Uhio Application October 29, 19%, Serial No. 508,143

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in the art of smoking and deals particularly with the method 01 preparing the tobacco charge so that the same may be consumed without the smoke from the products of combustion being drawn through the unburned tobacco between the lighted end 03, the charge and the mouth of the user. For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have used the form of a cigarette, but it is to be understood that the same may be applied with equal success to such forms as cigars.

In the ordinary process of smoking, the products of combustion normally formed such as carbon dioxide, water, tars, essential oils, etc. are drawn through the charge of unburned tobacco and are finally drawn into the mouth of the smoker. The charge of tobacco contains the compounds just mentioned and when first lighted produces a pleasant and satisfactory smoke. However, as the smoking continues the unburned portion of the tobacco charge becomes saturated with the tars, oils, etc, and the smoking progressively becomes less agreeable.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to overcome this objectionable feature of the so termed re-smoking or burning the saturated tobacco charge as the smoking progresses.

It is furthermore an object of the invention to provide a tobacco charge in which the smoke and products of combustion are drawn directly into the mouth of the smoker without saturating the underlying tobacco charge.

A further object of the invention is to provide a draft tube which is arranged longitudinally within the tobacco charge, through which tube the smoke is lead directly tothe mouth of the smoker.

A still further object of the invention is the simplified method in which this draft tube is formed within the tobacco charge.

With these and other objects in view, it will readily be apparent to those skilled inthis art, that the form of the invention shown may be varied in certain respects without departing from the true spirit oi the same and I therefore desire to cover the invention as outlined in the appended claims.

In the drawing, similar reference letters indicate like parts throughout the several views, wherein: a

Figure 1 is a. longitudinal sectional view through the cigarette showing the draft tube extending through the tobacco charge of the cigarette.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cigarette taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of the piercing needle having a spiral groove extending around the body of the needle to contain the cellulose solution for forming the draft tube as the needle is forced through the tobacco charge, and

Fig. i is a broken away view of the mouth end portion of a cigarette showing a disk of suitable material to cover the tobacco charge at the exit or mouth end of the cigarette.

The form of the invention shown in the attached drawing embodies a cigarette which contains the, tobacco charge 5 and extending longitudinally through this charge is a channel or draft tube t. This tube t is formed 01' any suitable combustible cellulosic material such as ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, Cellophane," etc. This tube 5 forms an impervious tube through which the smoke from the lighted end of the cigarette is drawn during the process of smoking. The coated channel or tube forms a central duct, through which, while the cigarette is being smoked, the substantial part of the smoke will be drawn to the mouth of the smoker, it being obvious that the smoke will follow the path of least resistance. Thus the smoke does not to any great degree pass through the unburned body of the tobacco and the latter is prevented from absorbing the unburned products of combustion. The exit end of the tube within the cigarette may be partially filled or packed in any suitable manner to constitute a filter as indicated. at a. This prevents any ash or unburned tobacco from entering the mouth of the smoker. Over the exit or mouth end of the cigarette is placed a disk i having a central opening H which registers with the tube 6. This disc is made of the same material as ordinary cigarette paper, preferably, but not necessarily, somewhat thicker. This disc is secured to the cigarette in the same manner as the lap or seam along the cylindrical edge of the ordinary cigarette is formed, that is. by adhesive action of a plasticizer in the cigarette paper. It is well known that one large manufacturer of cigarettes uses a paper having therein an ethyl glycol plasticizer.

In order to form this tube 6 within the cigarette charge, a needle 9 is provided. This needle has a spiral groove extending along a length of the needle as suggested at It. The needle is dipped into a solution of a cellulose ester or ether such as ethyl cellulose, cellulose methyl ether, or cellulose acetate and then withdrawn. The function oi the spiral groove It in the needle is to retain the cellulose solution-so that same will not be skimmed ed the needle by the tobacco at the front of the cigarette. The spiral groove and the surface of the needle will carry a suflicient amount of the cellulose solution to form the tube when the needle is passed through the tobacco charge. As the needle is withdrawn from the cigarette the cylindrical hole formed will not be closed by expansion of the tobacco charge as the cellulose solution in the spiral groove and on the surface of the needle will function simultaneously with the insertion of the needle to saturate the tobacco surrounding the latter and prior to the withdrawal of same to form the draft tube 6.

During the act of smoking the products of combustion or smoke will. be directly drawn through the tube and toward the exit end thereof without passing through any unburned portion of the tobacco charge. The smoker will therefore enjoy the pleasant and satisfactory aroma of the cigarette throughout the entire act of smoking. He will not be. annoyed by tasting the resmoking of the saturated charge of the cigarette.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of forming a combustible cellulose tube within the body 01a tobacco charge which consists in dipping a piercing tool in a cellulose solution, then inserting the coated tool into the tobacco charge thereby coating the adiacent wall of the charge-and then withdrawing said tool.

2. The method of forming a combustible tube within the body of a tobaccolcharge which consists in dipping a piercing tool in a solution of ethyl cellulose, then inserting the coated tool into the tobacco charge thereby coating the adjacent wall of the charge with ethyl cellulose and then withdrawing the tool.

3. The method of forming a combustible tube within the body of a tobacco charge which consists in dipping a spirally grooved piercing tool into a solution of cellulose ester, then inserting the tool into the tobacco charge thereby depositing the cellulose ester on the adjacent wall of the charge and then withdrawing the tool.

EMERSON B. HELM. 

